In contrast to the popularity of the topics of CXCR4 as an HIV-1 coreceptor and SDF-1 as an inhibitor of HIV-1 infection (Arenzana-Seisdedos, 2015), relatively few articles have addressed the intrinsic functions of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection and AIDS (Ikegawa et al., 2001; Tsukamoto, 2018). The gene discussed is CXCL12; the disease is HIV-1 infection.